Frostbite is an injurious situation that occurs when an individual’s skin and underlying tissues are deprived of blood flow causing the skin to freeze.
When the frostbite immediately begins a stage called frostnip is responsible for chilled feeling and numbness.
As the symptoms progress, the affected areas of skin start losing their natural skin color into darker colors like black and purple. The affected areas may also appear and feel rough and waxy to touch.
The meaning of frostbite in Nepali is called शीतदंश ( Sheet dansh).
Although frostbite isn’t a disease in itself, this ailment does have stages that a disease such as dengue possesses.
Here is an overlook of the stages of Frostbite along with the symptoms:
- Frostnip:
- Frostnip is categorized as the earliest stage in a frostbite patient. Permanent damage isn’t yet an outcome here. Pain, tingling sensation, and numbness are accompanied in this phase
- Mild to moderate frostbite:
- This stage of frostbite leads to noticeable changes in skin color. The area of impact may regain heat, sting, burn, and swell making the skin appear patchy.
- 12 to 36-hour timeframe since the initial symptom arrival may be led by fluid-filled blisters
- Deep frostbite:
- This phase of frostbite leads to the maximum damage as the progressed fatality affects multiple, to all layers of the skin and tissues.
- The white and blue-gray appearance of fingers, toes, nose, and other highly prone body parts occur, and as the calendar turns 24 to 48 hours post-rewarming, tissues are likely to turn black indicating the death of the tissue cells!
Complementary to frostbite, other health minorities may appear with a “domino effect”. Frostbite may cause hypothermia, hyperhidrosis, growth problems in kids, tetanus, gangrene, etc.
An interesting fact about frostbite is that its earliest documented evidence is a 5000-year-old pre-Columbian mummy discovered in the Chilean mountains.
Frostbite In The Context Of Nepal
Nepal’s mountainous reputation and terrain hosting the highest peaks in the world call for a lot of climbing, acclimatizing activities, and trekking.
In 2023, 15% of tourists who stepped foot in Nepal were mountain climbers and the risk of frostbite is eminently high.
The frostbite is among the commonly occurring injuries in mountaineering and the “Sherpa’s”, an ethnic group from Nepal are prone to the bite, given the lack of gears.
If such Sherpas, who have lived in the mountainous regions for decades can get frostbite, you and us when traveling to the mountains develop an even greater risk of contracting this deadly ailment.
Why Does Frostbite Occur In Mountain Climbers? Can Frostbite kill you?
The typical answer to “Why Does Frostbite Occur In Mountain Climbers?” is due to the extreme cold temperatures and high winds found in mountainous regions.
A lot of different aspects lead to frostbite in mountain climbers. A prominent reason is the exposure of the skin to the coldness and chilly winds in the Alps.
Likewise, not staying well hydrated or eating limited calories to supply fuel during the trek also leads to frostbite.
As climbers and tourists, ascend the windy mountains, the altitude causes a lack of oxygen supply as the less atmospheric pressure affects the body. This is a very strong case that may invite frostbite or hypothermia!
Not to forget the nits and bits of carelessness in carrying sufficient gear like, limited oxygen masks, medicines, and enough warm clothes, keeping the body hydrated always amplifies the risk in compared to a prepared trek adventure.
As for the question “Can Frostbite kill you?”, Frostbite if not treated in time can kill a person, and the closest situation to death is body part amputation possibilities. This situation always lingers around!
Considerations Travelers Must Acknowledge About A Frostbite
- Having impaired judgments while in very cold regions can cause frostbite.
- A frostbite or any other cold-related injury in the past can potentially surge the risk of contracting the bite again.
- Mountain climbers having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, exhaustion, poor blood flow, or congestive heart failure also carry significant risks.
- The most obvious consideration for travelers and trekkers is being in cold conditions without supportive gear for an extensive period.
Preventive Measures Against Frostbite
Along with the joy of trekking in the snowy terrains, preventive measures for frostbite must be considered throughout the trek from start to end. The following are important considerations:
- Protecting the entire body and important areas away from the heart like hands, feet, and nose with warm clothing.
- Consuming hot beverages and warm food
- Accommodating body before climbing high altitude with plenty of rest and time for recollection
- Avoiding blood vessel constricting caused by intake of cigarette and tobacco
- Avoiding alcohol throughout the cold trek
- Likewise, getting hydrated, carrying oxygen masks, consuming large portions of calories, drinking hot drinks, carrying emergency first aid kits, sleeping bags, blankets, and rugs, and sticking with the pack
How To Help Yourself While Help Is On The Way
- Getting rid of the coldness by removing cold or wet clothing
- Keeping the affected part warm and avoid any further trauma to the affected part
- Taking care of the infected area
- Taking care of breathing and not panicking
- Avoiding walking on frostbitten feet or touching the affected area frequently
- Helping oneself with a pain reliever, consuming warm food or beverages to uplift the body’s temperature
- Start tab ibuprofen 600 mg two to 3 times a day
With all the essential details drafted below, we hope your confusion on the blazing query “Why does frostbite occur in mountain climbers?” has been addressed with sufficient additional information.
